Pea-harvester.



No. 797,142. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. s. NETTLESHIP, PEA HARVESTBRHAPPLICATION FILED 110 7.30, 1904.

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No. 797,142. PATENT'ED AUG. 15, 1905 S. NE'I'TLESHIP.

PEA HARVESTER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 30, 1904.

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PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905 S. NETTLESHIP., PEA .HARVESTERM mmmnmn FILED Nov,30, 1904.

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SHELBY NETTLESHIP, OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed November 30,1904. Serial No. 234,953.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, SHELBY N n'r'rLEsHIr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fayetteville, in the county of Washington and Stateof Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Pea-Harvester, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to pea-harvesters, and particularly to that classof pea-harvesters which strip the pods from the vines, leaving thelatter standing in the field.

The invention has for its object to simplify and improve-theconstruction and operation of a machine of this class; and with theseand other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, the same consists in the improvedconstruction and novel arrangement and combination of parts,which willbe hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of embodiment of the invention, it being, however, understood thatno limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural detailstherein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes,alterations, and modifications to which recourse may be had within thescope of the invention and without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the efficiency of the same.

Tn said drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a machine constructedin accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 1s a bottomplan view of the same. Fig. 3 1s a side elevation, enlarged, of themachine as seen from the grain side. Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view taken on the plane indicated on the line 1 4: in Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken on the planeindicated on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionaldetail view taken through parts of the machine in front of thebull-wheel and showing in elevation said bull-wheel and related parts.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by likecharacters of reference. The main frame of the machine includeslongitudinal framebeams l, 2, and 3 and transverse frame-beams 4, 5, and6, supported thereon and bolted to or otherwise suitably connectedtherewith. Secured to the inner sides or opposing faces of thelongitudinal beams l 2 are a pair of brackets 7, having segmental slots8, provided with teeth 9, engaging pinions 10, which are mounted uponthe shaft or axle 11, carrying the bull-wheel 12, which is the mainsupporting and traction wheel of the machine and from which motive powerfor the various operating parts is derived. The brackets 7 are supportedand reinforced by means of braces 13, connecting the lower ends of saidbrackets with the longitudinal frame-beams 1 and 2, respectively. Theshaft or axle 11 in addition to the pinions carries a worm-gear 14,meshing with a worm 15 upon a short shaft 16, which is journaled in abracket 17 at the lower end of a suitablysupported slide 18, which alsohas a bearing for the axle 11. The slide 18 is supported upon theframe-piece 2.

19 designates a shaft one end. of which is connected by a universaljoint 20 with the shaft 16. The rear end of the shaft 19 is supported ina bracket 21, suitably connected with the rear part of the frame, and itterminates in a crank 22, by means of which it may be convenientlymanipulated. Means, such as a supporting-hook 23, is provided to engagethe crank 22, and thereby to secure the shaft 19 against reverserotation.

It will be seen that by manipulating the crank 22 to rotate the shaft 19the worm 15 will engage the worm-gear let, thus rotating the axle 11,upon which said worm-gear is fixed, and causing the pinions 10 to engagethe segment-racks 9, and thus raising or lowering the frame of themachine, according to the direction of rotation. The slide 18, it willbe observed, moves up and down with the axle, hence the necessity forthe universal joint 20, which connects the shaft 19 with the shaft 16-.The shaft 19 will also be free to move in its bearing 21 in thedirection of its length in order that it may accommodate itself tovarious positions assumed by the operating parts.

Connected with the bull-wheel 12 or with the axle upon which saidbull-wheel is n1ounted is asprocket-wheel 2 1, from which motion istransmitted by a chain 25 to a sprocketwheel 26 upon a counter-shaft 2T,suitably supported upon the frame of the machine. The sprocket-w heel 26is loose upon the shaft 27, and it carries a clutch member 28, adaptedto engage a clutch member 29, which latter is rotatable with butlongitudinally slidable upon the shaft 27, a suitably-disposed springserving to urge the clutch member 29 into engagement with the clutchmember 28, thus locking the latter upon the shaft 27. Asuitably-supported bifurcated lever 31, which ongages a groove 32 in theclutch member 29, is connected, by means of a link 33, with a crank 3 f,depending from a rock-shaft 35, which latter is suitably supported inbearings 36 upon the under side of the deck or platform of the machine.The opposite end of said rock-shaft has a crank or handle 38,where by itmay be conveniently manipulated by the driver, whose seat39 is supportedupon the deck or platform adjacent to said crank. A notched brace orquadrant 40 is provided to engage the crank 38, and thereby to retainsaid crank in adjusted position. By this mechanism it will be seen thatthe driver by simply manipulating the crank 38 may operate the clutchmechanism so as to throw the machine into or out of gear by eitherlocking the sprocket-wheel 26 upon or disconnecting it from thecounter-shaft 27, which latter may be designated as the maindriving-shaft.

The frame-bar 5 is extended laterally in the direction of the grain sideof the machine, as will be best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and itis connected, by means of an obliquelydisposed brace 11, with the end ofthe framebar a at the front end of the machine. Upright brackets 52 uponthe frame-bar 5 serve to support a cross-bar a3, which is disposed aboveand parallel to the frame-bar 5. M is an outer frame-bar which isconnected at its front end with the under side of the extremity of thecross-bar 5. The outer frame-bar A and the longitudinal frame-beam 3 areprovided near their rear ends with vertically-disposed straps orbrackets (designated, respectively, and 46) having holes or apertures 47for the passage of ad j ustingbolts a8. Similar adjusting-bolts 4C9extend through the straps or brackets s12 upon the cross-bar 5, whichsupport the cross-bar or cap-beam a3. The adjusting-bolts l8 and 49support a pair of bars 50, provided at the front and rear ends thereofwith slots 51, whereby longitudinal adjustment of said bars maybe had,vertical adjustment of said bars being effected at the rear ends thereofby means of the ad justing-bolts 4C8, which may be adjusted, asdescribed, in the apertures 47 of the straps or brackets a5 and 16. seenthat by tightening the nuts upon the adjusting-bolts L8 and &9 the bars50 may be clamped and secured in various positions to which by means ofthe adjusting-bolts and the slots 51 in said bars they may be adjusted.

The bars 50 are provided upon their upper sides with boxes 52, affordingbearings for a shaft 53, carrying a drum or cylinder 5ehwhich maybeconstructed of any suitable material,the heads or ends of which, 55,have been shown as the brackets 17. It will be being provided withspokes 56. The drum or cylinder 5% is provided with a plurality oflongitudinal strips 57, carrying radially-extending teeth or pickers 58.The shaft 53 carries a s procket-wheel 59, which is connected, bymeansof a chain 60, with a sprocket-wheel 61 upon the counter-shaft 27, fromwhich motion is transmitted to the picker-cylinder.

The outer or grain end of the machine is supported by means of a grainwheel 62, mounted upon a spindle or axle 63, which is connected with thelower end of a slide 64, connected ad justably with the outer frame-barla. The latter is provided with bearings 64L for a shaft 65, having atone end a pinion 66, meshing with teeth 67 upon the slide 64, whichlatter, together with the grain-wheel mounted thereon,may be adjustedvertically by rotating the shaft 65, which for this purpose is providedat its rear end with a crank or handle 66, means, such as acrank-engaging book 67 being provided for the purpose of preventingreverse rotation of the shaft. The lower end of the slide ea isconnected with the frame-bar a by means of a pivoted brace 68, providedwith a slot 69, engaging the bolt 70, whereby it is connected with theframe-bar, said brace being for the purpose of preventing vibration ofthe wheel-carrying slide.

It will be observed that the frame of the machine includes a number ofbraces, straps, and reinforcements, to which no specific reference hasbeen made, such parts being freely used wherever it shall be deemednecessary to reinforce and strengthen the framework, which latter bypreference is made very light. The framework of the machine alsoincludes supporting means for a box or receptacle 71 and for carrierswhereby the peas when picked or stripped from the vines are conveyedinto said receptacle.

Two of the transverse frame-bars of the machine (designated,respectively, 7 2 and 73) are extended laterally in a direction oppositeto the grain side of the machine, and upon these cross-bars aresupported-a pair of longitudinal bars 7a and 75. Straps or brackets 76and 77, bolted to the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frameformed by the bars 72, 73, 7e, and 75, serve to support the box orreceptacle 71, which is provided on its under side with transversecleats 78, supported by 7 Two of the cleats 78 are connected by a stay79, the latter being connected, by means of a brace 80, with the lowerend of one of the brackets '7 at the point where the latter is connectedwith the brace 18. The box or receptacle is preferably constructed oflight material, so as not to add unnecessarily to the weight of themachine. At the same time it is thoroughly reinforced, so as to becapable of sustaining any weight of material that may be placed therein.

The frame of the machine supports a short teams #3 distance in rear ofthe stripping-cylinder a casing 81, at the ends of which are providedbearings for a pair of roller-carrying shafts 82 and 83, which cooperateto support an endless carrier 84, preferably constructed of textile orother suitable flexible material and equipped with transverse slats orflights 85. The shaft 83, which is located at the inner end of thecarrier, is provided with a sprocketwheel 86, connected by a chain 87with a sprocket-wheel 88 upon the rear end of a shaft 89, the front endof which carries a bevel-pinion 90, meshing with a bevel-gear 91 uponthe counter-shaft 27, from which motion is transmitted to the carrier84. The latter, it will be observed, is located transversely to the bodyof the machine, and in front of the carrier trough or casing andparallel thereto is disposed a roller 92, which extends the entirelength of said carrier. This roller is supported in suitable bearingsconnected with the frame of the machine, and it is disposed below andslightly in rear of the strippingcylinder, so as to be out of the pathof the teeth of the latter. 98 designates a suitablysupported upwardlyand rearwardly inclined guide, the front edge of which is disposedslightly above, so as to be out of contact with the roller 92, and therear edge of which is supported upon the front of the casing 81, inwhich the carrier 84 is located, the rear edge of said guide beingextended over the carrier, so as to deposit upon the latter the materialpassing thereover. The roller 92 is mounted loosely in its bearing andis not positively driven.

94 is a suitably-supported casing provided with bearings for shafts 9596, the former being at the lower and the latter at the upper end ofsaid casing, which is supported in an inclined position and inlongitudinal alinement with the carrier-casing 82. The shafts 95 and 96are provided with rollers carrying an apron 97, provided with slats 98,constituting an elevator which receives material from the carrier 84 anddischarges the said material into the receptacle 71. The carrier 97 isdriven from the carrier 84 by means of a sprocket-wheel 99 upon theshaft 83 and a chain 100, connecting said sprocketwheel with asprocket-wheel 101 upon the shaft 95. Cleats 102 and 103, supportedlongitudinally under the leads of the carriers 84 and 97 respectively,prevent the lower leads of said carriers from sagging, and therebybecoming entangled with vines and the like. Similar cleats 102 and 103are similarly disposed above the edges of the upper leads of saidcarriers to prevent the material moved by said arriers from workingthrough and becoming lost or tangled between the upper and lower leads.The rear side of the carrier-casing 81 supports an upwardly andforwardly inclined deflector 104, whereby pods stripped from the Vineswith more or less violence by the action of the stripping-cylinder willbe deflected upon the carrier.

The tongue 105 of the machine, to which draft is attached by means of awhiflietree or equalizer 106 of ordinary construction, is pivotallymounted between brackets 107, depending from the cross-bar 5 of theframe. Said tongue is also guided vertically between brackets 108,depending from the cross-bar 4 and supporting a cross-bar 109, whichlimits the downward movement of the tongue. Rising from the deck orplatform of the machine is an upright 110, carrying a segment rack orquadrant 111, concentrically with which is pivoted an adjusting-lever112, the front end of which at a distance from the fulcrum thereof isconnected with the tongue 105 by means of a link 113. The lever 112 isextended rearwardly within convenient reach of the driver to form ahandle 114, whereby it may be manipulated, and said lever is providedwith a spring-actuated dog or catch 115 of ordinary construction,engaging the racksegment 111 for the purpose of retaining the lever 112and the tongue 105 in adjusted position. This mechanism is provided forthe obvious purpose of enabling the front end of the machine to betilted to various positions, it being evident that it is the frame ofthe machine which is actually adjusted with relation to the tongue.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.When the machine progresses over the field, it is supported and balancedupon the bull-wheel and the grain-wheel, both of which are so mounted asto admit of the vertical adjustment of the entire frame, the greaterportion of the weight of which is obviously supported upon thebull-wheel, which latter is also the traction or power wheel and whichby the weight of the machine is held in contact with and caused to gripthe ground with a degree of tenacity which will prevent it from slippingor sliding inactively over the ground. From the bull-wheel ortraction-wheel motion is transmitted in the manner herein described tothe stripping-cylinder, which is rotated at a considerable speed, andalso to the carriers, whereby material is conveyed into the receptacle.The forward side of the stripping-cylinder moves in a downwarddirection, and the vines operated upon will thus be beaten down andstripped longitudinally of the pods, which latter will be thrownviolently in a rearward direction against the deflector 104, from whichthey rebound upon the carrier 84. The stripping action of the cylinderis much facilitated by the presence of the roller 92, under which thestripped vines will pass out of the range of the cylinder, while thepods will be guided over the inclined guide 93, over which such pods asare not stripped from the vines with sufficient violence to cause themto be thrown against the deflector 104: will pass onto the carrier 84.From the carrier 8a the pods will pass onto the carrier 97, whereby theyare conveyed into the receptacle 71.

It will be seen that the bars 50, upon which the stripping-cylinder issupported, are capable of being adjusted longitudinally, as well asvertically, thereby enabling the strippingcylinder to be adjusted foroperation in whichever position shall be considered most advantageousaccording to the condition of the crop that is to be operated upon. Thisadjustment will obviously be attended to prior to the commencement ofoperations.

The tilt of the machine may be adjusted by the driver while the machineis in operation by means of the adjusting-lever 112. It may here bestated that the drivers seat 39 is preferably connected adj ustably withthe frame of the machine in order that the weight of the driver may beutilized for balancing the latter. To this end there is supported uponthe deck or platform of the machine a pair of transverse cleats 117,supporting a longitudinal bar 118, having a slot 119, in which a pair ofclamping-bolts 120 and 121 are longitudinally adjustable, the bolt 120passing through the seat-supporting spring 122, while the bolt 121serves to secure a foot-rest 123 adjustably in position.

hen the bars 50, supporting the stripping cylinder, are adjusted toplace said cylinder in a forward direction, the chain 60, by which saidcylinder is driven, is apt to become loose. For the purpose oftightening said chain a tighteningsprocket 124: is provided, saidtightening sprocket being plainly seen in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings.IVhile this improved machine has been designated and described as apea-harvester, its use is not necessarily limited to the harvesting ofpeas inasmuch as the machine embodying the principles of the inventionmay be successfully used for harvesting other crops. In order, to adaptthe machine particularly for the harvesting of other crops than peas, itmight become necessary or desirable to modify certain parts thereofsuchas, for instance, the size, shape, and disposition of thestripping-teeth; but such modifications would be wholly within the scopeof the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a machineof the class described, a

ground-engaging bull-wheel, a frame mainly supported upon and verticallyadjustable with relation to said bull-wheel, a stripping-cylinderjournaled upon the frame and provided with rad ially-extending teeth,means for transmitting motion from the bull-wheel to thestripping-cylinder, a carrier disposed in rear of thestripping-cylinder, and a vine-engaging roller disposed between andbeneath the Strip ping-cylinder and the carrier.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a stripping-cylinderand bars adjust; able longitudinally and vertically in the frame andaffording bearings for the shaft of the stripping-cylinder.

3. In a machine of the class described,a bullwheeland a grain-wheel, aframe supported by and vertically adjustable with relation to saidwheels, a pair of slotted bars longitudislightly above and free fromcontact with the vine-engaging roller.

5. In a machine of the class described, a stripping-cylinder havingradially-extending teeth in combination with a vine-engaging rollersupported behind and beneath said stripping-cylinder.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a strippingdevice, of avineengaging roller supported behind and beneath saidstripping device.

7. The combination with a rotary vine stripper, of atransversely-disposed carrier, and a vine-engaging roller disposedbetween and beneath said stripper and carrier.

8. The combination with a vine-stripping device supported for rotation,a carrier, a roller disposed between and beneath said stripping deviceand carrier, and an inclined guide extending from said roller to saidcarrier.

9. In a machine of the class described, a stripping-cylinder mounted forrotation and having radially-extending teeth, in combination with avine-engaging roller supported for rotation beneath and behind thestrippingcylinder, and means for positively driving the latter.

10. In a machine of the class described, a

strippingcylinder mounted for rotation, a carrier-casing in rear of saidcylinder, an endless carrier in said casing, a vine-engaging rollersupported for rotation between and beneath the stripping-cylinder andthe carriercasing, an inclined guide supported upon the carrier-casingand having its front edge supported above and free from contact with thevine-engaging roller, and an upwardly and forwardly inclined deflectorsupported upon the rear part of the carrier-casing.

rev, me 5 11. In a machine of the class described. a frame, uprights orbrackets rising from said frame, adjusting-bolts connected with saidbrackets, longitudinally-slotted supportingbars mounted upon saidadjusting-bolts, and a stripping-cylinder supported for rotation uponsaid bars.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

SHELBY NETTLESHIP.

Witnesses:

S. R. AHRENS M. J. SANDERS.

